1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a barrier device, and more specifically, a gate for blocking and opening access to buildings or property.
2. Description of the Related Art
While the general utility of the barrier device of the present invention is not limited to conventional entryways, such as those for cages, in particular animal cages, or paths, the following description of the present invention and the problem addressed therewith will be oriented towards the above mentioned gates.
The securing of entryways of public or private property, such as the land of companies or industries, buildings, and the like against unauthorized access such as automobile access can occur in a conventional manner using this type of gate.
Swinging gates and sliding gates are known, which for opening and closing must be moved in their entirety. An example of this would be a sliding gate with vertical bars, which must be pushed sideways. These gates require much above-ground space for displacement.
Foldable scissors-gates overcome the problem of the high space requirement, but however exhibit other disadvantages, for example they are as a rule easy to climb over, are difficult to operate and are liable to wear.
As an alternative sunken gates have been developed, which can partially or completely disappear into the ground for opening access along the passageway. Such gates however require a deep trench into which to sink, which on the one hand is labor intensive to provide and on the other hand requires a perimeter for its positioning which may conflict with cables, pipes and the like buried in the ground.
From DE-PS-36 11 372 there is known a driveway blocking gate perpendicular to a street, with a trench and a gate which can be lowered into the trench via a hydraulic cylinder. The gate element is comprised of an upper horizontally running steel beam and multiple vertical steel beams connected thereto.
Also disclosed in this publication is a gate with gate slats, which at their upper end are connected via a head beam, which can be lowered in the barrier element. For this the gate slats extend through boreholes of the upper horizontally running steel beam of the barrier device. The head beam is likewise raised and lowered via hydraulic cylinders, which support themselves on the lower side of the vertical steel beam.
In this known barrier the trench depth corresponds to the height of the vertical steel beam plus the height of the hydraulic cylinder. The total height of the barrier is the sum of the stroke height of the horizontal steel beam and the stroke height of the gate. This design reduces a certain portion of the depth of the trench, is however complex and expensive.